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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of the study

Researchers in the fields of health and physical education have recognized that the goals of public health and physical education are to get school children physically active and remain physically active through their adulthood (Corbin, 2001). In fact, the promotion of lifelong physical activity participation has been recognized as the ultimate goal of school physical education programs (Rink, 2006) and physical activity has been ranked top in the ten Leading Health Indicators (USDHHS, 2000). Despite all this, participation in all types of physical activity among children continues to decline strikingly as age or grade in school increases (Corbin et al., 2004) and more children are among the sedentary and/or obese category (CDC, 2007). Identifying and understanding factors that associate with children’s physical activity participation are critical to promote current and lifelong physical activity participation of children (Salliset al., 2000). Among many factors, children’s attitudes are considered to be a key element influencing physical activity participation (Solmon,2003). Children who have more positive attitudes toward physical activity are reported to be more likely to participate in physical activity outside of school (Portman, 2003) and demonstrate higher physical activity amounts (Haggeret al., 2002) than those with less positive attitudes. According to a review of literature on children’s attitudes toward physical education/activity by Solmon (2003), child characteristics and contextual factors are two major factors that related to children’s attitudes. Child characteristics refer to chi1ldren’s age, gender, and sports skill.Contextual factors include the quality of physical education programs and accessibility of after school physical activities etc. With regard to child characteristics, elementary children are found to have more positive attitudes than secondary children (Lee, 2004) and children’s attitudes become less positive as they progress through their schooling (McKenzie, 2003). It is also found that elementary children express very favorable attitudes toward health, fitness, enjoyment, and social interaction benefits of physical activity, but do not enjoy physical activities involving hard practice and risk-taking movements (Patterson &Faucette, 1990). Younger children’s higher interests, values, and more positive attitudes toward physical activity, however, may not be realistic due to their low ability of self-evaluation. With regard to contextual factors, quality physical education (PE) programs have been reported to be a strong factor influencing children’s attitudes toward physical activity (Lee, 2004). Children’s positive attitudes are likely to be linked with enjoyment, perceived usefulness of the curriculum, and a sense of belongingness (Subramaniam& Silverman, 2002). Curriculum with situational interest, such as those require students to analyze and design offensive and defensive strategies, may foster students’ interests in physical activity (Chen &Darst, 2001). A learning environment that promotes personal meaning is considered to be important to the development of positive attitude (Rink, 2006). Children are also likely to become more positive toward physical activity if they are in a learning environment that makes them comfortable and confident (Haggeret al., 2002). In terms of children’s negative attitudes associated with contextual factors, Carlson (1995) indicated that students become bored if there is a lack of challenge or repeat the same activities without taking children’s interests into account. Siedentop (2004) also argued that a multi-activity curriculum with a series of short-term units would negatively influence students’ attitudes. Biddle and Chatzisarantis (1999) found that it is more difficult for students to maintain interests in traditional team sports than in individual sports or activities. Additionally, marginal status of PE in the school curriculum has a negative impact on students’ attitudes (Tannehillet al., 1994). Compared with research dealing with children’s physical activity levels, research addressing children’s attitudes toward physical activity is relatively scant, and most research targets elementary school children. As discussed previously, children at elementary schools tend to report inflated physical activity ability, interest, and attitude due to their limited developmental ability of self-evaluation (Ogden et al., 2006). According to the findings of Abdullah and Fauzee (2002) physical activity can be very effective in improving the human respiratory system, while strengthening the heart muscle and increasing its volume is the benefits of physical activity. People with physical activity and those who exercise regularly are able to adopt an active lifestyle, have an attractive appearance and changes in mood and experience confidence. Physical activity can be described as an activity that involves stimulus throughout the body that results human skeleton muscles contraction and increases energy levels (Bouchard et al., 1990). Silverman &Subramaniam (1999) pointed out that student perceptions and positive attitude towards physical activity is one of the important elements in evaluating the success of a physical education curriculum. Although everyone knows that sporting activities can enhance physical health and also is an entertainment, it is practically observed that majority of students are less interested to participate in either theoretical or practical regular physical education class. According to (Lee, 2004), Secondary school students’ self-report, however, were more realistic. Thus, it would be meaningful to examine secondary school students’ attitudes toward physical education. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to investigate the present attitude and future view of students towards Health and Physical Education in some selected secondary schools in Addis Ababa; and to provide meaningful information about ways of developing positive attitude towards learning Health and Physical Education.

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